Jake Gyllenhaal Says He Won’t Play Batman

It’s clear that there’s been trouble in Gotham for quite some time now. Although Ben Affleck is, at least officially, the current reigning Batman, rumors have been circulating since last summer that he and Warner Bros. might be thinking of changing that. Affleck was up to write, produce, direct and star in the next standalone Batman movie, but by late 2016 he was already out calling the script “subpar” and describing the film as “not good enough.”

Then he stepped down from the director’s spot, and Matt Reeves swooped into that role. Ever since, rumors have persisted that Affleck wants out of the DC Universe entirely and that Warner Bros. was considering fulfilling his wishes. Casey Affleck almost said as much last summer.

One Variety report claimed although Affleck will likely appear as Batman in the upcoming Flash movie, it’s “highly unlikely” that he will star in The Batman, as Reeves is looking to fresh “fresh talent.” Nevertheless, the fact remains that none of this speculation has been confirmed by either Affleck or Warner. Affleck played Batman most recently in 2017’s Justice League, but the rumor mill has continued running. The latest story, as of late last year, was that Jake Gyllenhaal was in the running for Batman/Bruce Wayne.

COMPLEX is a community of creators and curators, armed with the Internet, committed to surfacing and sharing the voices and conversations that define our new America. Our videos exemplify convergence culture, exploring topics that include music, sneakers, style, sports and pop culture through original shows and Complex News segments. Featuring your favorite celebrities, authoritative commentary, and a unique voice, our videos make culture pop.